Help with my Rogue in Forgotten Realms

[jaaqen h'ghar]

Hi guys, first post so no hate please :)

I recently started DnD (4 weeks ago, if not less) and I'm starting a second campaign on Thursday, both of them I decided to go Rogue, my first one was a proper rogue, the way people on this site suggest.

For my second rogue, I want him to be skill-based, that means getting as many skill points as possible (I get 13/lvl at the moment). I want people here to help me maximise this number even more if possible and to teach me what to spend my skill points on based on the following. I want my guy to work by being able to

Jump from roof to roof
Kill a target in a crowd and escaping
Pickpocket a person without anyone knowing
Break into a store and steal goods and getting away clean
Lie my way out of trouble
Initiate combat by simply pulling out a weapon and killing one enemy before anyone can react

I understand it's a lot to ask for but I'm not really stressed on when I get it, I just want that but initially starting with diplo/bluff/sleight of hand/sense motive.

P.S: My DM is pretty lenient about things so suggest it if you think it goes along the lines of what I want and I will convince him to let me use it :smallsmile:

Thanks everyone, hope you had a blase reading my ridiculousness and hopefully it gives you an idea for you next class.

[Norin]

Got a few quick suggestions for you here. Nothing cheesy, just regular stuff off the top of my head:

Jump from roof to roof
- High Jump skill, maybe use the Thief Acrobat PrC?

Kill a target in a crowd and escaping
- Hidden Blade skill trick from Complete Scoundrel. Maybe using the Gnome quickrazor to store the weapon quickly after the sneak attack.

Pickpocket a person without anyone knowing
- High Sleight of Hand skill will let you do this.

Break into a store and steal goods and getting away clean
- Have a look at this nice guide (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=6180) to doing just that.

Lie my way out of trouble
- High Bluff skill. Maybe get a way to cast "glibness" (+30 to bluff) spell. UMD skill and a wand maybe? Multiclass Beguiler or Bard?

Initiate combat by simply pulling out a weapon and killing one enemy before anyone can react
- Hidden blade trick again with quickdraw (prereq for this trick) will let you walk up to some poor unfortunate guy and just sneak attack him out of the blue.

[Greenish]

For my second rogue, I want him to be skill-based, that means getting as many skill points as possible (I get 13/lvl at the moment). I want people here to help me maximise this number even more if possible and to teach me what to spend my skill points on based on the following. I want my guy to work by being able to

Jump from roof to roof
Kill a target in a crowd and escaping
Pickpocket a person without anyone knowing
Break into a store and steal goods and getting away clean
Lie my way out of trouble
Initiate combat by simply pulling out a weapon and killing one enemy before anyone can reactDear sir, may I interest you in some Factotum (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=2720.0)?

[Norin]

Dear sir, may I interest you in some Factotum (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=2720.0)?

I had that in mind too, but it seems that SA is part of his character concept. Factotum, i think, does not get enough SA early on to be effective this way.

Then again he could (if dm allows) use the Iajuijajajaitsuitjaja focus thing.

[Alleran]

Kill a target in a crowd and escaping
- Hidden Blade skill trick from Complete Scoundrel. Maybe using the Gnome quickrazor to store the weapon quickly after the sneak attack.
I think there's also the option of a sleeve blade. It's a dagger that goes into your sleeve, obviously. A DC 15 Search check will find it and it has a -2 penalty on attack rolls with it, but I think it can be drawn/sheathed as a swift action.

It's very Assassin's Creed. I use one with most of my characters as a semi-hidden backup weapon, even if they're not combat-oriented.

[Averis Vol]

If you want to maximize skills you could go with the changling race (Races of eberron maybe) and their racial substitution level which gives you 10+int skillpoints, then dip three levels in factotum before going back to rogue and finishing with exemplar.

so the build would look something like:

changling rogue 2/ factotum 8/exemplar 10.

this gets you 10+int skill points (Albeit for the first two levels only) a ridiculous slew of abilities from factotum, and skill mastery for 1+int skills + whatever else the class gives.

of course this is a short review as coherence isn't my strong point at 3 in the morning, but the sources for those each is listed below

Changling (eberron campaign setting)
changling rogue sub level (Races of eberron)
factotum (dungeonscape)
exemplar (Complete adventurer)

EDIT: you could also replace exemplar with chameleon from Races of destiny.

[jaaqen h'ghar]

While I appreciate the great feedback, here are some replies to each comment individually.

@Norin, your suggestions are pretty much what I was thinking (except glibness) so I'll look into that. What is the "Iajuijajajaitsuitjaja focus thing"? Google search brings up only this thread.

@Greenish, I love you so much for factotum, the response from my party has been that they accept it, but I need to check with DM still.

@Alleran, while not a fan of the AC series, I think that would go very well with the concept I'm building so I'm definitely looking forward to using that piece of equipment.

@Averis Vol, multiclassing is something the party and DM won't allow, it's basically to stop abuse where I could theoretically have 2 classes + prestige in some cases by level 5 so DM is making it really hard to multiclass (XP penalty, need to find a master, need training) so I can't be bothered.


Another request I have now, Factotum are natives of Dungeonscape but our adventure is set in Forgotten Realms, my DM will expect me to write an appropriate backstory to explain how I got into the forgotten realms and possibly met the party, the second is easy. I need specific information regarding if they are different planets, time periods, galaxies, realms so I can be smart about backstory so he shouldn't be able to shut me down.

[Greenish]

Dungeonscape isn't a setting, it's a book that focuses on dungeons and the delving thereof. FR most assuredly has dungeons, so factotums are right at home. Fluff-wise, they're basically professional adventurers, using a wide range of skills (not just in the mechanical sense) they've acquired through experience and keen observation. I'm not that familiar with the Realms, but I don't see anything standing out as a poor fit.


Iaijutsu Focus is a skill from Oriental Adventures which allows you to deal extra damage against flat-footed enemies after drawing your weapon. Technically, a factotum has all skills as class skills, but getting this one to fly with your DM may be a tad trickier. You'll want to point out the significant limits of the skills, and the flavour of factotums as the ultimate dabblers and masters of exotic skills.

[Norin]

@Norin, your suggestions are pretty much what I was thinking (except glibness) so I'll look into that. What is the "Iajuijajajaitsuitjaja focus thing"? Google search brings up only this thread.

Another request I have now, Factotum are natives of Dungeonscape but our adventure is set in Forgotten Realms, my DM will expect me to write an appropriate backstory to explain how I got into the forgotten realms and possibly met the party, the second is easy. I need specific information regarding if they are different planets, time periods, galaxies, realms so I can be smart about backstory so he shouldn't be able to shut me down.

Hahah, sorry, i forgot how to type it... let me try again:

Iaijutsu Focus.

It's a skill from Oriental Adventures book that lets you draw a weapon on a flat-footed opponent and attack for extra d6's of damage based on skill check result.

I see no big issue with having a Factotum in Forgotten Realms really. If you have the book, i will direct you towards page 19 and the paragraph about adaptation.

Also have a look here (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/frcc/20070606) for some more info on adapting the class to Faerun.

If you show this to your DM, i suspect your issue is solved. :smallwink: